A Hunter comes to Hogwarts
by TheStormrider
Summary: A new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher comes to Hogwarts, only shes much different then the others.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the character of Alora Ryder.

Professor Dumbledore motioned for silence in the Great Hall. Outside the rain poured down, and thunder rumbled. The students settled and turned toward their Headmaster standing at the gilt lectern.

"Before we begin our fabulous feast, I have a few announcements. Firstly, I would like to welcome our new students to Hogwarts. I hope that your time here will be enjoyable. Secondly the Black forest is off limits to all students. Last but certainly not least I would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Miss Alora Ryder." Dumbledore raised his hand to the back of the room.

The students all turned to catch a glimpse at the new teacher. The doors suddenly blew open as the candles floating around the room flickered. Standing, dripping wet in the doorway was a cloaked figure. She took a step forward and pushed back her hood of her cloak with a gloved hand revealing dark red hair that was pulled back into a tight braid that ran down her back under her cloak.

A murmur ran through the assembled students and along the teacher's table as Miss Ryder strode up the central aisle her boots making soft thuds on the stone floor. Deep sapphire eyes swept along the gaping students. She was young, much younger than the previous Professors. She smiled as she reached Dumbledore and he gave her a friendly embrace and showed her to a seat. She removed her cloak; her attire set further whispers throughout the Hall. She didn't dress like the other professors either. Her clothes were slim fitting, to allow for easy movement it would seem.

"Never seen a teacher dress like before," Stated a perplexed Ronald Weasly.

Harry and Hermione looked up from their meal.

"Honestly Ron, stop staring!" Scolded Hermione. Ron turned back to face his fellow Gryfindors.

"Come on Hermione you have to admit shes a bit young to be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry spoke up.

The new teacher was certainly at the top of the conversation list. Most of the students stole glances at Miss Ryder between bites of their delicious food. Harry watched as she exchanged polite conversation with various staff members.

"Honestly you two!" Hermione sighed. Both Harry and Ron rolled their eyes.

The three watched as Dumbledore shared a quiet word with the new teacher, her deep blue eyes scanned the crowd and she nodded slowly. She spoke to him a serious look on her face. Dumbledore returned to his seat. Silently Alora Ryder stood and slipped out a side door, pulling her hood up as she went. Three sets of eyes following her curiously.


	2. There's Something out there

The noisy group of students silenced as they entered the classroom. Across one wall of the room, was a glass cabinet filled with a variety of weapons, crossbows, swords, stakes made of silver and wood. Harry and Ron stared at the weapons as they took their seats.

"What kind of teacher keeps swords in the classroom?" Ron asked, taking out his textbook.

"I don't know but I hope we get taught how to use them." Harry replied, Hermione sat next to them.

"You must be joking, the school board will never allow that." She said.

The sound of a door closing caught the attention of the class. Miss Ryder had suddenly appeared at the front of the class, wearing similar clothes to the night before, her blood red hair pulled back tightly.

"Good afternoon class, welcome to Defense against the Dark Arts. I am here to teach you how to survive against the dark arts. I am Alora Ryder, I would prefer it if you called me Miss Ryder I am not old enough to be a professor." She would smile slightly. Her comment, earned her a nervous laugh from the class.

Miss Ryder cast her blue eyes over the class for a moment before continuing.

"You may have noticed there are a number of weapons on the wall. I will say this once, touch them without my permission and you will regret it."

"What good are swords against a powerful wizard like Voldermort?" Malfoy spoke up.

"There are more frightening things in the world then a dark wizard Mr. Malfoy," She spoke with an icy voice.

With that Miss Ryder began the class, starting with nocturnal beasts. The class was silent as they worked; something about this new teacher seemed to unsettle them.

"Excuse me Miss, but can I ask what you have that is different then the other teachers?" Asked Neville Longbottom. Miss Ryder turned from the board, the class held their breath.

"I have…experience," She replied simply turning back to the board and writing up their homework assignments, researching the different perceptions of vampires.

"Now, I want you all to do research on the different myths on vampires and ways they have been perceived over the last century. Two scrolls please by Thursday," She said turning back to the class.

"Dismissed," She said.

Later that night:

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in the library doing their research. Harry stared out the window, paying very little attention to Ron and Hermione arguing. He blinked suddenly thinking he saw something darting across the rooftop of a wing of the castle. He leaned forward.

"There's something out there," He said.

Ron came to the window.

"What are you on about Harry?" asked Ron.

"There's something on the roof of the castle, look." Harry replied.

Ron pressed his face against the cold glass, looking around then he too caught sight of the hooded figure moving gracefully across the rooftop.

"Who do you reckon it is?" Ron asked.

"I don't know but I don't think they are up to any good," Harry said, watching as the figure disappeared off the building.

"Of course, that's why she has all of those swords on the wall!" Exclaimed Hermione behind them. The boys turned.

"Who? What are you talking about Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Miss Ryder, I know what she is! Its been staring me in the face all night!" She said not looking up from the thick book in front of her.

"Come on out with it then," Harry said.

"She's a Dark Arts Hunter." Hermione stated as if they should have known all along.

"A what?" Ron asked

"A dark arts hunter, that's why she is so young, according to this book most hunters don't live very long because of the dangerous nature of their jobs. It is also why she has all those swords on the walls. They prefer to use weapons enchanted with magic instead of magic alone!" She said.

"And that affects us how?" Harry asked.

"Dumbledore must have brought her here for a reason, Hunters are serious people Harry." Hermione said gravely.

"Alright you lot time to get back to your dorms," Growled Filch.

The trio gathered their books and hurried from the library and back to their dorms.


	3. Somethings a little off

Miss Ryder was late to class. Something her students had learned was that she was never late to class. When she did arrive she was not in a very talkative mood and moved, quickly through the lesson, remaining at the front of the room instead of prowling around between the desks.

"Right class on Monday we will have a test on recognizing the different tracks and signs of various creatures," She said,

There was a round of grumbling. Miss Ryder looked up from her desk, an icy gaze on the class.

"But Miss, its quiditch tomorrow," Harry said.

The rest of the class nodded their agreement, no one wanted to study when there was quiditch to play.

"Then I suggest you study during your lunch hour today Mr Potter." Miss Ryder stated.

Harry slumped back down into his seat and watched the teacher as the rest of the class went back to their work. Something seemed a little off. When she did move about Harry could have sworn she was limping. He began to think, maybe it was her he saw creeping across the rootops.

The class ended and Harry lingered near the door to watch the teacher.

"Harry, what on earth are you doing?" asked Hermoine.

"Shh, I'm trying to find out something," He said.

"By spying on the teacher?" Ron asked.

"No, well yes, did you notice how Miss Ryder was limping today in class?" Harry asked.

"Now that you mention it, she was acting a bit weird. Well weirder." Said Ron.

"Exactly, I think it was Miss Ryder I saw on the rooftops outside the library," Harry said.

"You cant be serious Harry, why would a teacher be creeping around on the roof?" Asked Hermoine.

At that moment Miss Ryder came to the door.

"Don't you three have a class to go to?" She asked coolly.

"Sorry Miss," All three said while moving away.

Miss Ryder closed the door and sighed, she moved to the cabinet containing the knives and carefully replaced one that had been missing during the class and limped to her desk.


	4. Being watched

Miss Ryder lead her class to the fringes of the Dark Forest for their quiz it was the last class of he afternoon and all of the students wanted to go to back to their dorms before dinner. She motioned for the students to gather around, where several different tracks were set in a large dirt area.

"Now class, here are several different tracks of creatures classified as dark creatures, in other words beasts that more likely to maul first ask questions later, now you have all been given a checklist On your own I want you to identify each track followed by a short description of the beast itself. You may begin." She stated simply.

She walked around the students as they pondered the tracks in the dirt, she kept a weary eye on the woods around them, and she felt like they were being watched. Nevertheless Miss Ryder kept up her circuit of the students.

"Mr. Malfoy you will find it much easier to do your test if you look at your own paper," Her voice was as sharp as the blades hanging in the classroom.

Miss Ryder's head snapped up when she heard a scream followed by a low growl. The class turned and began to run.

"No one move!" She shouted moving forward fluidly to face the wolf-like beast. It was bigger much bigger. A Warg, incredibly rare and immensely vicious. Miss Ryder stood in front of the class facing the beast.

"Stay back and do not move!" She shouted,

The beast stalked forward, Miss Ryder started whispering in a strange language while reaching over her shoulder.

As the beast leapt Miss Ryder brought her hand up and a sword appeared in her grip, she went down with the beast. The students screamed as their teacher grappled with the beast. The Warg biting down on the spot where her neck joins her body, she cried, before chanting another word and the sword ignited into flame. The beast growled its muzzle slick with her blood.

Harry watched in awe as the young woman produced a sword out of thin air and then set it alight. That was not conventional magic; even Hermione was shocked by it. Ron however was scared stiff at the sight of the Warg. The beast let out a pained howl as Miss Ryder plunged the flaming sword through its chest. The Warg howled and collapsed dead.

The class stood in shock. Miss Ryder pushed the beast off her and chanted a word and the sword vanished, returned to the cabinet. She stood and looked to her class.

"Dismissed, go straight to castle do not make any detours," He voice was calm and steady despite having a gaping wound on her neck. The shell-shocked students turned and all but ran to the castle.

"Mr. Potter you and your friends go to Professor Dumbledore tell him I need to speak with him immediately!"

"Yes Miss, um… do you need help?" Harry asked.

"Just go," She ordered.

Grabbing Ron and their bags, the trio hurried away.


	5. Something in the forest

Dumbledore hurried into the Hospital Wing, where Madame Pomfrey was fussing over Miss Ryder. Harry, Ron and Hermoine peeked through the door to see what was so important other than the fact that their teacher had just killed a beast in the woods by conjuring a flaming sword.

" Alora my friend I do hope you are not seriously hurt," Dumbledore said concern in his voice.

" I will be fine Professor, Madame Pomfrey is most adept at her duties," Miss Ryder replied. Madame Pomfrey tutted and finished bandaging the wound as best she could and placed Miss Ryder's arm in a sling. Then bustled off, to tend to her other duties.

" What is it you needed to discuss with me Alora?" Dumbledore asked. Miss Ryder settled herself on the bed before answering.

"We have a problem, the students saw me use magic that is not of this world." She stated. Dumbledore sat next to her.

" Perhaps you should tell them that is a highly advanced conjuring spell you used, to summon your weapon." He said calmly.

" This is only the beginning Professor, more creatures will appear through the portal now that it has been opened, Potter is in danger so are his friends." She said gravely.

At the door the three looked at each other and shut the door quietly.

" Portal? Magic not of this world? Hermoine I thought you said that she was a Hunter?" Ron said as they made their way back to the dorms.

" That's what I thought, I've never seen or read about magic like that," Hermione said.

" Its obvious Dumbledore brought Miss Ryder here for a reason, theres something in the woods he doesn't want us finding out about," Harry said as they arrived at the dorms.

The common room was buzzing with the events of the afternoon. The students who were in the same class each telling their own version of the story. Each time the tale getting more and more elaborate. Harry shook his head and joined the others by the fire he had decided that he was going to search the forest for this portal that Miss Ryder was talking about in such serious tones.


End file.
